Introducing: Hey, DJ! Our new Friday Q&A. This week: DJ Klaw

Welcome to our latest feature: Hey, DJ! Every Friday starting today, we'll be spotlighting the hottest, ahem, cats (see what we did there) behind the decks in the MHC, grilling them to gain some insight on what it takes, exactly, to get the party rocking, to find out about their most treasured crate digging experiences and what they really think when we stumble up to them half cocked and ask them to play that new song by such and such -- you know, the one that goes... This week's subject: DJ Klaw.

Name: Max Klaw / DJ Klaw

Club night(s): Right now, I am touring the country for the third time this year with Big B and Swollen Members. When I am home, you can catch me at Problems D'Amour, The Jump Off!, Noise Fridays at Beta (#1 club in the country!), Bad Habits After Hours and Egg Beats at Table 6. Most are monthly affairs that allow me to tour and still do events here in Denver. I also get booked to play club nights in Los Angeles like The Heist, Dance Right and Element, Brooklyn at Savalas, St. Louis at London Calling and Salt Lake City at Shake N' Pop on the regular. My Mommy's Little Monster party was held weekly 45 times in 2009 at Benders Tavern on Thursday's (Westword's best club night 2009) here in Denver and at The Hard Rock Hotel's Wasted Space in Las Vegas on Sunday's.

Style(s) of music you spin: Indie Dance, Fidget House, Dubstep, Electro, Bass, Disco, HipHop, Funk, Soul, Breakbeat, Jazz, Punk, Rock and Experimental. I am kinda all over the place. I do justice to every format I play and always take the venue and crowd into consideration when choosing music.

So what's your story, in 100 words or less? East coast born, raised by jazz musicians,consumed by NYC Hardcore from the '80s, owned a fishing boat in Alaska at eighteen, moved to Denver 1990, founded Kingpin, Denver's most hated hardcore band (RIP 92-96 ), got into electronic music heavily, started "deejaying" by mixing a capella ragga records with one turntable and a laptop running re-birth in '96, self-taught graphic designer, moved to LA, worked for Disney, made lots of money, lost lots of money, moved back to Denver, loving life and sarcasm, creating art, personal community by throwing fun events, I like good people and everybody else can kick rocks. Living better is the best revenge. There is more but you have to wait for the book.

Name of a track you can't get out of your head: "Hipster Girl" - Larry Tee (Evol Intent Remix)

Name of an artist you're currently championing in your DJ sets: Jack Beats and Fake Blood

What's been your best crate digging experience in another country (if you've had a good one)? When I was fifteen, I went to London and found the Beastie Boys first record "Pollywog Stew" at some outdoor market in Camden town. Punk rock and hip-hop -- it was on. I also found a bunch of other gems, but that one was the best.

Best club experience in another country (again, if you've had a good one)? Does this count? I deejayed for Pink and Carey Hart at their wedding in Costa Rica at the Four Season's Resort, and they converted this whole building into a club. It was crazy. Heavy duty famous people like LA Reid and Lisa Marie Presley were there. It was insane. I played for nine hours and got harassed by spider monkeys.

Musical mantra: If you take yourself to seriously, I am making fun of you.

Favorite DJ experience: Playing with artists I really admire or I think are cool people. I have had the pleasure of having a lot of those experiences as a DJ. Opening for Z-Trip in Boulder last year was a crazy fun show; people were climbing on stage after I finished. Really anytime I play with Z-Trip is dope. Playing at Beta for me is always an amazing time. I pick my tracks specifically for the sound system there, which is, in my opinion, the best in North America right now. Throwing MLM weekly in 2 states is a big one. Nobody has done that coming out of Denver. I really just love playing records and getting people moving. That's my favorite.

Worst request: 99% of requests suck, even if they know what they are talking about. Most DJs have a plan, people. Most DJs are playing for the whole party, not just your party. Trust your DJ.

Worst club faux pas you've committed: Depends on who you ask, some would say just letting me on the decks is a club faux pas...

What other music-related projects are you currently working on? I play with my father's jazz band BGT (Bill Goodwin Trio), and I have a new audio / video driven art project which has no name. I produce dark dubstep and bass music under the name Septic.

What's something happening in the local music scene that should be getting more attention? What is that marching band that invades gallery's on first friday? Yeah, those guys.

What elements would your fantasy club night entail? All four elements plus the magical fifth element: That includes lobsters, champange and funktion one sound.

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